Water heater installation cost

[DWalt]

We did 2 additional installs when we built. We put in a water softener even though we are on city water, and we had a pressure reduction valve installed since water pressure was high.

I also change the rod in the center (can't recall the name of it) but that is supposed to help as well. I should drain it more often but the cheap valves they put in them always end up leaking, so I just leave it at that.

It is called a sacrificial anode, usually made of a magnesium alloy. The purpose is that the anode will corrode but the steel tank will not. While the sacrificial anode is replaceable, I have never replaced one. Some claim they really do not do much good but I can't say one way or the other about them. One plumber told me he has never replaced one either. I suppose it depends somewhat on the pH of your water supply. If you have a pressure regulator on your supply, you should have a thermal expansion tank somewhere in the system just to be safe.

 

[ameridaddy]

In 2022, my installation of an electric HW heater was $635.00
I just didn't want the hassle of draining the old one, then wrassle the big old thing out the basement and dispose of it, along with cleaning up the mung that had accumulated in the corner.
And then the fun of bringing in the heavier new one, because it was more efficient and therefore bigger and heavier.
Actual electrical and piping connections were a piece of cake. I just didn't want or maybe couldn't do the bull work of moving those things about 100' from the truck around to the back of the house and up and down a full flight of steps.

 

[DWalt]

In 2022, my installation of an electric HW heater was $635.00
I just didn't want the hassle of draining the old one, then wrassle the big old thing out the basement and dispose of it, along with cleaning up the mung that had accumulated in the corner.
And then the fun of bringing in the heavier new one, because it was more efficient and therefore bigger and heavier.
Actual electrical and piping connections were a piece of cake. I just didn't want or maybe couldn't do the bull work of moving those things about 100' from the truck around to the back of the house and up and down a full flight of steps.

Having a helper or two can be advantageous to wrestle a heavy heater around if necessary. They don't need to be too skilled.

I have a local handyman I have used for many jobs as an assistant. Not licensed in any trade but he has many years of experience in doing nearly anything - painting, carpentry, electrical, concrete work, tree trimming, plumbing, whatever. And he will help me anytime for $25/hour.

 

[armadillo]

The last one (40 gal. gas) I replaced was about $2,500 including the appliance. I got the 12 year warranty one since a 9 year would have only saved about $100.

Since I live in the city I have to meet their code. The installer said the city changes the code frequently and almost everything has to be replaced.

 

[TX-Dennis]

I replaced my last one myself with help from my son to help lift it up onto the platform it sits on in the garage closet. About 3 or 4 years ago. I think the heater cost me around $600 from HD.

More recently my stepmother's went out. She lives in the home my Dad built when he was single. My son and I inherited the home upon his death with the understanding that she can live there the rest of her life. Obviously we are responsible for maintenance and repairs. I was still recovering from my broken sternum and didn't feel up to wrestling with the new and old heaters, so I called a plumber to do the replacement. Cost $1950 plus tax for the heater and install. I thought that was a lot, but compared to some of ya'll I got a deal.

 

[DWalt]

My parents's home in Ohio had an electric water heater installed in 1938 when the house was built. It was still there and working when my father died in 1982, and still operating when I had to move my mother out to a nursing home in 1991. Insofar as I know, it never had a problem in 50 years of service. It was a Hotpoint. I guess they made them well back then.

 

[K-22]

Hire a Plumber

Friday afternoon my water heater went out. (Never happens on a Wednesday).
The new heater was delivered today. I thought at my age I'd pay to have it installed. The first place I called only would only install a heater I bought from them - $2500. The second place wanted $1000 to install my heater and the third place wanted $1250 but they were going to install a new expansion tank as well.
I'm not against plumbers and I think "The laborer is worthy of his hire", but still this seems high for making 3 connections - 4 if you count the vent.
I can see why Sharkbite sells installation kits with the inlet valve for $50.00.

My 27 year old heater was working just fine.
But, I like to stay ahead of the curve, and avoid emergencies.
New heater, 10 yr warranty, all up to current codes, $1,700.
Worth every penny.

 

[glenwolde]

Here the inspector doesn't even come to the house. The plumbers and electricians or whomever emails photos of the work done and the inspector emails a signed permit back. My water heater was anywhere near the OP's quotes when I replaced mine about 4-5 years ago. Sounds like some good ole gouging going on.

For the couple of hundred I spent on permits I did at least get a genuine, in-person, and competent after-installation inspection and certification. That surprised me a bit. I'd never had that before and I thought this was just a fee-generating machine. The city inspector was here for about half an hour.

I mentioned my surprise to the inspector. He said yep, a few people die from bad installations and all of a sudden it gets real. He said there were a couple of instances that caused a crackdown quite a few years back. One blew the roof off of a house.

Plus it turns out that if your water heater causes damage, your insurance company will get the date off it and check for a permit. There had better be a permit for the installation. In the City of Houston they only issue permits to Licensed Plumbers.

Plus, I live in a townhouse. I'm in an end unit so I only have one neighbor but there's five units in the building. I don't want to take the blame for that kind of damage.

I threw money at it and it went away.

 

[Breakaway500]

Hardest part of my WH replacement was getting the old "stone lined" unit out. It was heavy! Lasted 30 years. The new one is the same capacity but 1/3 the weight. Took me 2hrs to install using "shark bite" connectors.Total cost $350. The old one made a dandy target.

 

[mtgianni]

Pretty simple. It is a sealed bladder inside a tank which is tied into your supply line. It can be anywhere but usually at the water heater. When the water tank heats up, the water inside expands. If there is no BFP or pressure regulator in your supply line, the expansion just goes into the main. If your line has a BFP or a pressure tegulator, your house plumbing becomes a closed system, and there is nowhere for the expansion to go. So it can greatly increase the water pressure in your pipes, possibly causing a rupture somewhere. If there is an expansion tank in the system, it provides volume for water expansion and keeps the pressure down. The tank usually has a volume of a couple of gallons. Some cities require them under code, some do not. Often, plumbers try to make you believe you need one when you really don't so they can inflate the charge. Happened to a friend who fell for the plumber's line of BS. Cost him around $500.

The relief valve is part of every water heater, but it serves a different purpose than an expansion tank. It is set at a fairly high release pressure to bleed off high pressures which could occur if the tank heater goes rogue and won't shut off at the selected temperature. And that allows your water heater to turn into a steam boiler and explodes if there is no relief valve. That can cause catastrophic damage to your home.

The expansion tank also came about when municipalities required a anti backflow valve to prevent water from a house to re-enter the main. The expanded water has to go somewhere, so the tank became a requirement.

 

[yaktamer]

I understand permits and inspections for original installs. But to replace an existing unit? Never heard of it. Of course, I also live in a state that doesn't require vehicle inspections (other than bi-annual emissions) to register a car. Thank God.

 

[llowry61]

It is called a sacrificial anode, usually made of a magnesium alloy. The purpose is that the anode will corrode but the steel tank will not. While the sacrificial anode is replaceable, I have never replaced one. Some claim they really do not do much good but I can't say one way or the other about them. One plumber told me he has never replaced one either. I suppose it depends somewhat on the pH of your water supply. If you have a pressure regulator on your supply, you should have a thermal expansion tank somewhere in the system just to be safe.

Interesting you mention the thermal expansion tank, I had the water softener tech come in to do the filter replacement that has to be done every five years or so and he actually said the same thing. I was in the camp that it was really a hammer tank and did not have any pipes jumping or banging when doing a hard shutoff of a water valve. But, I might put one in based on your comment.

The sacrificial anode you mentioned that I have replaced has been almost completely corroded away. My dad was an engineer and insisted that replacement would extend the life of the tank. I may stop doing it based on your comment.

On another note, you mentioned about the life span of the water heater in your parents' house, we built the house in 1999 and had the original sump pump till 2018. We need one and it pumps regularly when it rains and there is usually water in it year sound. I was amazed how long it lasted. I replaced it in 2018 then again in 23. They just don't make things to last anymore. I keep a spare for quick remove and replace rather than doing the backup.

 

[DWalt]

The expansion tank also came about when municipalities required a anti backflow valve to prevent water from a house to re-enter the main. The expanded water has to go somewhere, so the tank became a requirement.

BFP=backflow preventer=anti-backflow valve. I have no idea how many municipal systems require BFPs on hookups to the water system, but those that do probably have the requirement only for new residential construction. Many water utilities require BFPs to be part of new lawn irrigation systems. Line pressure regulators also are effectively BFPs.

 

[DWalt]

Interesting you mention the thermal expansion tank, I had the water softener tech come in to do the filter replacement that has to be done every five years or so and he actually said the same thing. I was in the camp that it was really a hammer tank and did not have any pipes jumping or banging when doing a hard shutoff of a water valve. But, I might put one in based on your comment.

Water hammer is normally not of much concern in typical homes as the mass of water moving at any time is fairly low. Where it must controlled with a pressure snubber are commercial and industrial installations with large pipe diameters and high flow rates. Slamming a water valve shut too quickly in those systems not having a pressure snubber can easily cause pipe rupture. I personally saw one of those events. An expansion tank in a residential water system also acts as a pressure snubber to minimize water hammer effects such as pipes banging, even though that is not its primary function. Pressure snubbers and expansion tanks are fairly similar in their basic designs, both having bladders inside a metal chamber. But the details differ.

 

[bamabiker]

The expansion tanks are fine as long as someone checks them periodically. Most of the ones I see are full of water because the bladder has a hole in it or no one has checked the air pressure in the tank.

 

[jscheck]

I just installed one in our home last month. Since you mentioned your age I assume it might be difficult for you to manage. Check with "handyman" businesses in your area. As long as it's electric and not gas it's a very simple proceedure.l

 

[delcrossv]

Last one was at one of my MIL's buildings. $500 for the heater and about an hour of time (had to reroute some pipes to make the next swap easier). Previous "plumber" installed the gas line so the heater couldn't be removed without turning off the gas to the whole building.

That's why I don't hire stuff out.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

It has been over 7 years since I installed a replacement hot water tank. I don't have a business and all the expenses. I only did family or the family of friends. My charges were 100% of parts no extra fee. Then for me was $100 to $125 cash (depending on distance) and usually lunch for me and any helper.

This included hauling away the old tank. Local inspectors drive the neighborhoods on trash day looking for old hot water tanks or toilets left out for trash pick-up. They then send a bill for the cost of a permit and a $25 fine (to be attached to your property taxes if not paid in 30 days, with an additional fine!

Ivan

ETA: Changing codes. In Ohio the code has not allowed a gas hot water tank under household steps since the late 60's! This is a very legitimate code for Fire reasons. I had one replacement from an early 1960's house with a gas tank under the basement steps. I explained the safety issues and said we would have to fix the situation. It worked out I could install an electric hook-up cheaper than move the tank to an acceptable location. Like I said above I work only for family or friends' family. I didn't increase my price. I did get a nice tip. Me doing that one probably saved $1500, still done same day. The tip was $500, "lunch" was two $50 gift cards to a steak house!!

I love the friends and family benefits!

 

[Mike0251]

Early this year spied a tiny bit of wetness on the laundry room floor and I knew right away it was the water heater.
Went to Lowes, $600, wife and I replaced it, purged the lines, and good to go in 2 hours. I did have to cut and solder the pressure dump line for a perfect fit. 5 min trip to landfill to dump the old one. Oh and I used a catch pan this time around. 42 years here and this is the 3rd one.

 

[chief38]

I guess I'm very lucky!! When mine went south in my old house I had two of my cronies come over to help me take the old water heater tank out of the basement and carry the new one down. It took me a little under 3 hours to hook up the new one and install a new expansion tank - I did the job myself.

The old tank was under warranty and so it was free from the manufacturer. I just had to pick it up at the warehouse. The copper pipe, ball valves and fittings were from what I had in stock in my garage. The job wound up costing me a steak BBQ dinner at my house that weekend.